Kiyan Anthony is a highly touted 16-year-old basketball prospect and the son of former NBA star Carmelo Anthony. He missed the spot in the USA Basketball U18 National Team roster announcement, leaving many fans perplexed and eager for more information.
Kiyan Anthony plays for Long Island Lutheran High School in New York. His absence from the U18 roster was announced on Wednesday following five days of training camp in Colorado Springs.
Fans reacted on Instagram to the announcement.
“Where’s Kiyan Anthony," one fan wrote.
"Can’t wait to see these boys get active," another fan wrote.
Some fans questioned the team selection and named a few other players.
Kiyan, born on March 7, 2007, is the only child of former NBA star Carmelo Anthony and actress Alani "La La" Vazquez. He also excels with his AAU team, Team Melo.
Ranked among the top prospects in the class of 2025 by ESPN, Kiyan Anthony has received numerous Division I offers, including from Indiana and Michigan. He signed an NIL deal with PSD in 2023 and is considering Syracuse, his father's alma mater.
During the 2025 EYBL circuit, Kiyan Anthony, a top-10 scorer, put up 20.3 points, 4.6 rebounds and 1.6 assists in 10 games. His shooting has been impressive. He is making 43.3% of his field goals, 31.1% from beyond the arc while sinking 70.7% from the charity stripe.
USA basketball U18 national team announced
USA basketball U18 roster includes Darius Acuff Jr., Nate Ament, Mikel Brown Jr., Jeremiah Fears, Shelton Henderson, Daniel Jacobsen, Jasper Johnson, Morez Johnson Jr., Nikolas Khamenia, Trey McKenney, Patrick Ngongba II and Derrion Reid. All the named 12 athletes are making their national team debuts with USA basketball.
University of Arizona head coach Tommy Lloyd leads the 2024 USA basketball U18 national team. He will be assisted by Grant McCasland of Texas Tech University and Micah Shrewsberry of the University of Notre Dame.
The U.S. men’s team will open Group B play against Argentina, Belize and Brazil. The opening game against Argentina is on June 3 at 7:10 p.m. ET, followed by a match against Belize on June 4, concluding with Brazil on June 5.
USA basketball U18 has a storied history in the U18 Men's AmeriCup, winning 10 gold medals in 12 events, including six consecutive titles since 2010. The tournament features teams from Argentina, Belize, Brazil, Canada, the Dominican Republic, Puerto Rico and Venezuela. The top four teams will earn a berth in the 2025 FIBA U19 Men's World Cup.